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Friday, April 8, 2011

Does Not Compute...

Fit Sugar has a poll on their website and one of the questions is whether you dress up in cute clothes to work out in. 72% said NO. I know this answer makes no sense to us Lululemon Addicts. Don't these ladies realize how much better their workouts will be if they look good while they work out? ;-) I think a bunch of men tanked the answer on this one anyway. Most ladies I see at the gym have decently cute or at least color coordinated outfits on when they work out even if they aren't Lululemon.

31 comments:

Anonymous
said...

OT - How do you wash your white cool racer backs? All my other lulu is pretty dark. should i just wash it alone?

- as for your post. I recently joined the gym and have been rocking my lulu and feel like im over dressed haha i know my clothing is completely functional but it seems as if everyone else has pulled out there oldest tshirt and sweat pants.

I think most women would not admit that they spend time picking cute outfits for the gym. Frankly I also think women who just throw on their baggy tshirts and sweats do not read Fit Sugar. That survey was probably filled in by teenagers.

Ha! I wear Lulu all the time but I don't work out. I don't go to the gym, or run, or even do yoga. I just wear it because I think it's super cute. So I applaud all you Lulu Addicts who actually work out in your work out clothes. LOL

@ anon 4:40 am - I separate my light and dark lululemon. I once washed a pair of my light colored Featherlight socks with some hot pink technikini underwear and it turned them pinkish. I've had a potion purple swiftly bleed on a white bra I was wearing (I didn't wash it first) so now I take care to separate out the light and dark items.

I gave my husband the quiz and he guessed 72% didn't dress up. He said my perceptions were skewed because I only work out at my neighborhood gym where the women do take care to have cute outfits, even if they are by Tuff or Target brand. If I worked out at home I probably wouldn't bother to wear matching things. I think quite a few people work out at home so they may have skewed the survey, too. I can't stand working out at home, though, and am lucky our neighborhood is so inexpensive.

@ anon 7:43 am - I wouldn't wear Lulu to the gym if it just looked good but didn't perform well. I think their fabrics and fit are some of the best I've ever bought for exercise so that is what made me become such a fan.

In my experience far more people dress down than up. Even the people who wear Lulu don't coordinate perfectly, or mix Lulu with other brands or plain cotton tanks. I do this a lot.

In some environments, wearing a coordinated stylish outfit will get you taken less seriously; people assume you're there to look cute rather than work hard.

Other reasons people might not dress up: the clothes that perform the best for them don't look the best on them; they figure their clothes will just get smelly anyway; working out is just not a time when looking good is on their mind.

I refuse to look frumpy when I work out. Lululemon's fabrics are the best for training and with a flattering, feminine fit. I am constantly decked out head to toe in Lulu items, thus I never look frumpy when I work out or when I'm out running errands.

I love looking good at the gym. Most of my stuff is basic bottoms though with nice tops, no mismatch but not often a match of bottoms to top with the exact same color. If people don't take me seriously b/c I look nice, so be it...I don't care, lol.

This debate reminds me of situations I've come in to contact with in my every day and professional life. If you're dressed with some attention to what you're wearing, you're looked down on and not taken as seriously in say, a theatre class, than if you're wearing some ill fitting, poorly constructed item. Surely you must be serious if you don't put any care into how you put yourself together.

It's a different instance than working out, but it follows the same general lines. Everyone feels their best and is ready to deliver top notch performance on their own terms. They do whatever they need to to do their best. Just because you dress up for the gym doesn't mean you can't be taken seriously. I hate that assumption, but I know it exists, sadly.

people do not want to admit-"women dress for women". i buy lulu 90% because i know not 1/2 city will have it + get better product sutisfaction. in my clab in toronto 90% have lulu in serious classes (unlike zumba, most look like they came from thier kitchen)

I think maybe the question was misleading...maybe people thought "stylish or cute clothes" meant like..disco sivler top and curled hair? I don't personally think wearing lulu makes you look like you were "trying hard"....most of the girls here wear at least one lulu item working out anyways. It's not that flashy.

I work from home, but go to work out classes anything from kickboxing to yoga two or three times a day and love to wear my lulu - it is nice to feel put together when I don't have a work wardrobe. I don't put make-up on for working out though. I feel motivated to put a cute outfit on and leave the house to work out.

I love looking cute at the gym. I workout at a small boutique-style place and I'd say upwards of 80% or more of the people there dress to impress. Whether that is lulu or other brands, almost everyone looks good and put together.

It's not just the gals who try to look hot (yes HOT) at my gym, but the guys too! There the few who wear muscle shirts and baggy shorts and some who wear Armour (I'm tempted to say Armour All; can't say I know much about the brand) tight for their bottoms and somewhat fitted tops too!

So, I suspect the guys do just them same! (BTW, who thinks guys in tights are cute? I do;) )

I don't understand. People who go to the gym must care somewhat about their appearance or health at least. So why is it so criticized by many to look "over-dressed" at the gym? I don't think wearing matching or cute outfits is a reason to be taken less serious of, but unfortunately that's how the world works at times. I don't really care if people think that, I'd rather look good than like a slob, and I'm at the gym to improve my health AND appearance so what is there to be embarrassed of?

I work out at my local YMCA. I like it because I used to work out at big chain gyms and found that I felt very self conscious there. At the YMCA I wear my lulu and everyone else (mostly senior citizens) are wearing their everyday clothes or maybe a pair of sweats. I prefer the Y because I don't feel like I am being judged at all, and I can just get on with my workout.

Was that particular picture of the woman in the aviators, sparkly pants and downtown shirt by the survey? I wonder if people might have been thrown off by it... If I was answering the survey and saw that picture, I would assume they meant DRESS UP dress up- like in fancy going out clothes. Dress up can have a lot of interpretations, depending on context. Ie if I'm going to the gym or doing laundry, I think I'm 'dressed up' if I'm wearing coordinated lulu pieces, but I wouldn't consider my lulu duds as 'dressed up' for a night on the town (well maybe the deep breath tank or one of the nicer tanks!) but compared to the outfit the woman is wearing in the picture, I would not call my lulu outfits dressed up! I wonder what impact that would have had on the survey respondents. -Jenn

I live in NYC and almost EVERYONE is dressed up (and mostly in lululemon)... it's part lifestyle in the city, go to a restaurant/bookstore/coffee shop/grocery and there are a ton of people dressed like they just cam from the gym (yoga mat slung across the shoulders too - i suspect some don't even work out, but just like the look...). the best thing about lululemon is i think it's still sexier than a micro-miniskirt (trashy) and guys seem to like women who take care of themselves (at the least the guys i would be interested in...). what i don't like are the women in the gym who spend more time in the locker room (you know who you are) than actually working out, or anyone who is too matchy (color coordinated top/bottom AND sneaker!), or anyone who is showing TOO much (fold down pants folded WAAAY down,). sometimes i wat to run over and tell someone as they are leaving the locker room that they forgot their bottoms, but then realize that's their intention...

i live in New York and specifically at the Columbus Cirlce Equinox, it definitely is almost a requirement, especially in any classes, to wear head to toe lululemon. everyone's very fit, a size 4 or smaller, and all wearing crops or shorts that leave little to the imagination... it's definitely a New York "competitive" thing and everyone's flaunting their assets (no pun intended), whether the size of their ring, some have hermes "gym" bags or their 2 percent body fat.

@ anon 7:47 am - So funny you say that about flaunting rings! There is a girl continually in my yoga classes that has this humongous rock that she makes sure to keep "in open air" throughout the entire practice. YOu can imagine what seated spinal twist is like....HAHAHAHA! Flash that bling!

@ anon 2:49 - luon can be hot to run in but Lululemon makes a lot of lightweight breathable materials like Swiftly, silverscent, and luxtreme that are really nice. My sister is a marathoner and wears Reverse Groove shorts and Power Ys as her primary training outfit in warmer weather. She wore a long sleeve swiftly and luxtreme bottoms when she ran the Portland marathon.

I think Lululemon is not that well known to runners since it's not carried in running stores where I suspect most runners shop but there many people who wear Lululemon who are "real hard core" runners.

Anon 2:49pm - I resent that, definitely not true that "hardcore" runners don't wear lulu! I consider myself to be something of a hardcore runner (I haven't run a marathon- YET!- but I run 5-6 days a week, am involved in my local run group and either run or volunteer at just about every race within hour's drive from where I live) and I wear almost exclusively Lululemon gear while working out and racing. Lulu has a "run" line that I find to be excellent and very functional for running. I've tried lots of other brands but I prefer lulu. The Speed Shorts and Luxtreme crops are by far the best shorts and crops that I've tried- they are just as good (IMO, better!) than any other brand and are comparably priced to most other high-end running attire. And the pullovers are hands down the best. Plus I like to look good while running! I hate the stereotype that you have to dressed in frumpy traditional running gear to be taken seriously.-Jenn

About Me

For 18 years I was an electrical engineer working in communications satellite system engineering. I've worked at Boeing, Booz, Allen & Hamilton, and General Electric. For the past ten years I've been a stay at home mom who keeps busy volunteering in my community and chauffeuring my three children to their activities. I live in Orange County, California.

The inaugural Sea Wheeze inspired me to take up running two years ago. I have completed ten half marathons and have three more scheduled for 2015. I mostly run these days but also go to the gym ~3-4 days a week for spin class, weight lifting, and cardio.

I discovered Lululemon six years ago and really liked the fit and performance of the clothes. I do check out other brands so if you would like me to review your product please contact me.

If you would like to contact me, my email address is lululemonaddict@gmail.com.